Barter anyone...

Marie was very kind to me today.  I am still not feeling well at all, but I still wanted her to visit.  So, I gave her several options ... one including bacon ... and then sweetened the deal with starting the day with milk and muffins.  What I love about Marie is that she makes good counter barters.  The end result was that she came, we (mostly her) made Irish Soda Muffins, she made my pot of Vietnamese Chicken Curry with Sweet Potatoes (we had it for lunch with Naan and five more jars joined the other meals in my freezer), and we sang Evening Prayer together.

I was hoping to making another pot of Chipotle Chicken Chili, for I bartered cookie dough for the missing ingredients I needed.  However, I haven't actually received the exchange goods yet.  Marie, however, loves the curry.  So, today worked out well for us both.  Hopefully, I will get to make the chili soon, so as to deepen the diversity of the meals that I am thawing out for the month of March.

Tonight, I did my first professional work barter.  The first half of the job actually came earlier in the week, when I created a branded information article on Visual Rest for a newsletter mailing.  Tonight. I folded the newsletter contents, stuffed the envelopes, and affixed both the recipient and return labels.  I was some labels short, because the person printing them did not feed them well.  However, I had a partially printed label sheet and I was able to find a template that I could use on the MAC and then print both types of labels that needed to be redone.

I really like solving problems.  At first, I texted that I would need more labels, but I really dislike leaving a task undone.  Honestly, I did not think I would be able to figure out how to do the labels in Pages, but I did.  Some of those braincells in my head are still working!

For the past year or so, I have been trying to teach my barteree about the importance of branding.  So, creating the piece for the newsletter mailing was a good opportunity to demonstrate what I meant.  Mary and Becky proofed it for me, so that it was clean when I submitted it.  Sometimes, I fear that I come across as critical, trying to nudge this person from casual to professional.  In truth, I feel I come across as critical every single time I try to help someone with business, strategic planning, writing, etc.  The things I know I like sharing, to help.

It helps me feel less of a waste of space on the planet when I can help with communications and literacy and organizing and even cooking ... though the latter still surprises me.  I'm a culinary hack ... the blind leading the blind mostly.  Anyway, when I look at those things ... those processes ... I am thinking about them and not the person.  So, it is not personal.  I mean, the personal part is helping the other person accomplish something or develop new skills.  But not the process.  That is just ... technical to me.  But I feel like I come across as being critical.

Anyway, I proposed bartering for newsletter help a while ago, and this was the first month we tried it.  You'd laugh if you saw my list of possible bartering items.  Chief amongst them is a bottle of this honey liquor I had last fall.  Mmmmm!  But I also have windshield wipers on there.  Funny, but I don't think "washing my car" will be chosen as a bartering item.

But back to Marie's visit.  I really like singing offices of prayer with her.  And Evening Prayer is a good one.  After the Psalmody, there is an option to read additional psalms.  Marie asked me if I wanted to do so, which is like asking a child if she wants to eat more candy.  I did, and so she read Psalm 51 and 104, because I was thinking about forgiveness and how great God is.

Marie said that Psalm 51 was appropriate, since Lent is about forgiveness.  That is not a description of Lent that I have ever heard before.  Mostly, I still do not understand Lent and it seems that I am not alone in that ... given how many different explanations of Lent I have had.  Still, I like thinking about forgiveness ... since I do not really understand it.

When we got to the readings portions, Marie barely opened her mouth before I suggested we read in Hebrews about Jesus being our High Priest.  Where?  Well, Hebrews 7:1-10:25.  Marie's eyes widened a bit when I rather blithely called out the reference (after looking it up in my ancient NASB 1977 as opposed to my newly beloved single column copy of the NASB 1977 she was holding).  To me, though, that is really a small reading!

[Yes, I am rather greedy about hearing the Living Word.]

I really do savor the entire selection, the scaffolding of teaching in the old and new covenants, in the old and new high priests.  Comparing and contrasting as you spiral your way to the fullness that comes with Jesus as our High Priest.

Since therefore, brethren, we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the view, that is, His flesh, and since we have a  great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water (10:19-22).

Only, long before you get there, you read this little jewel:

Hence, also, He is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them (7:25).

Jesus always lives to make intercession for you.  
For me.


I am Yours, Lord.  Save me!